There’s no avoiding the fact that your kids are going to get sick from time to time, and when they do, it can derail the progress you’ve made with their sleep pretty quickly. In today’s video, I’ll list a few of the common mistakes parents make when their little one gets a bug, and how to provide the extra comfort and attention they need without backtracking on their hard-earned sleep skills. If your baby, infant or toddler is having trouble… Continue Reading
The traditional “Cry-it-out” approach to getting your little one to sleep may be effective, but for many parents, it’s just not something they’re comfortable with. On the other hand, constantly rocking, shushing, or nursing your baby to sleep every time they wake up can create associations that make it harder for baby to fall asleep independently and can result in frequent nighttime wake-ups. Luckily, there are several options in between these two far ends of the sleep training spectrum. I’ll… Continue Reading
One of the more common questions I get asked is from parents who have an older child and a new baby sharing a space. The question, as you can probably guess, is “How do I sleep train my baby without disturbing my toddler in the process?” It’s definitely a tricky situation but I have some tips today to help you minimize the impact on your older child while you teach your baby the skills they need to get the whole… Continue Reading
If you have watched my videos before, you’re probably familiar with the term, “Sleep props.” I use it to describe anything a baby relies on in order to get to sleep, such as rocking, feeding, sucking on a pacifier, car rides, and so on. You also probably know that I suggest eliminating sleep props from your little one’s bedtime routine so they can learn to fall asleep independently. But does that mean that there is no such thing as a… Continue Reading
The sweet sound of silence after you’ve taught your babies the skills to sleep through the night is nothing short of bliss for the whole family. But for the first couple of nights, there’s usually some crying involved, which can cause some strife if you have another child in the house. Today, I’ll discuss the challenges of sleep training with a sibling in the house, or even in the same room, and give you some tips on how to get… Continue Reading
Parents of toddlers often encounter this scenario where, out of the blue, their little one just stops taking naps. They’ll lie in their crib, play with their fingers, babble away to themselves, but just refuse to go to sleep. So what gives? They’re obviously tired and still in need of a daytime nap, so why won’t they close their eyes and get some rest? I’m happy to tell you that this situation is almost always temporary and fairly easy to… Continue Reading
I’m not trying to offer a magic number here. Newborns wake more often than infants, who wake up more often than toddlers, and so on. But in today’s video, I’ll give you an idea of how often the average baby wakes up at each stage of life, as well as some insights as to what might be causing your baby to be waking up more often than they should be. If your baby, infant or toddler is having trouble sleeping… Continue Reading
“The Ferber Method” is probably the most widely recognizable strategy for getting a baby to sleep through the night, and with good reason. It works. However, it has also met with no small amount of controversy from critics who say that allowing a child to cry, even for a short period of time, can cause elevated stress levels and hurt the bond between babies and parents. (Evidence points to the contrary, but that’s a debate for another time.) Today, I’ll… Continue Reading
Making changes to your baby’s nap schedule is a tricky process, and the trickiest one of them all is the switch from three naps a day to two. In today’s video, I’ll help you decide whether or not your little one’s ready to make the transition, and if so, how to go about it in order to minimize the fallout and keep baby on a happy, healthy sleep schedule. If your baby, infant or toddler is having trouble sleeping through… Continue Reading
We’re all familiar with the idea that some people are naturally “light sleepers,” but when your baby is one of those individuals who wakes up at every little peep, it can force the whole house into a forced silence during every nap and bedtime. In today’s video, I’ve got an explanation for this phenomenon and, believe it or not, a solution to the problem! I know, I know. It sounds too good to be true, but give it a try… Continue Reading
There’s nothing to compare to the level of frustration you feel when you’ve just spent an hour rocking, shushing and soothing your baby to sleep, only to put her down in her crib, silently tiptoe out of the room, and then hear her start to fuss again. 15. Minutes. Later. Why, when babies need so much sleep, do they seem to wake so frequently and have so much trouble going back to sleep afterwards? The answer is actually not all… Continue Reading
It sounds like a simple question, but like all things baby-related, it’s not such a simple answer. The optimal bedtime for your baby can depend on a lot of factors which can vary from day to day. In today’s video, I’ll give you some tips to help you figure out what those factors are and how they can help you determine the right time to say goodnight to your little one. If your baby, infant or toddler is having trouble… Continue Reading